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Connecticut Attorney General Delivers Commencement Address at Renbrook School – We-Ha | West Hartford News

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Connecticut Attorney General Delivers Commencement Address at Renbrook School – We-Ha | West Hartford News


Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who attended West Hartford’s Renbrook School, spoke at the 2025 Commencement.

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Renbrook School was honored to welcome Connecticut Attorney General William Tong as their 2025 Commencement Speaker.

Tong is the 25th Attorney General and first Asian American elected statewide in Connecticut. He first took office in 2019 and is currently serving his second term. As Attorney General, Tong’s top priority is to protect Connecticut families, residents, and consumers, and to stand up to powerful forces that threaten us.

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Tong, an alumnus of the school, shared his story with his fellow Renbrook graduates and emphasized how unlikely it was that he, the son of Chinese immigrants who throughout his youth worked weekends side-by-side with his parents in their family’s Chinese restaurant, would be their commencement speaker – and their attorney general.

Born in Connecticut, Tong is the first American citizen in his immediate family. He talked about how his parents – through their hard work and sacrifices – opened doors for their children. Reflecting on his journey, he said, “I stand here today because of this place, this community, these teachers, this staff” who were “kind and welcoming to my family,” who encouraged him to keep trying, to work harder and to do better, and who kept the school clean and operational so students could learn and grow.

Tong attended Renbrook Lower and Upper Schools and graduated in the Class of 1988. He then went on to graduate from Phillips Academy Andover, Brown University, and the University of Chicago Law School.

Encouraging graduates to know and remember those in their family who worked and sacrificed for the opportunities they have, Tong urged, “when you come across people like them, your people, make sure you see them. And if they need you, help.”

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.

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National trust in the federal government is low. CT residents agree

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National trust in the federal government is low. CT residents agree


National trust in the federal government is at some of its lowest levels in nearly seven decades, and many Connecticut residents fall in line with that belief, a survey found.

New data from the Pew Research Center found only 17% of Americans believe that what the government does is right either “just about always” or “most of the time,” hitting one of the lowest points Pew has seen since first asking this question in 1958. And according to a DataHaven survey, Connecticut residents trust the federal government less than state or local institutions.

While these are some of the lowest polling numbers seen in American history, national trust in the federal government has been on the decline for decades. Public trust initially dropped in the 1960s and ’70s during the Vietnam War from a near 80% but began rising again in the 1980s into the early ’90s. Trust peaked again after 9/11 before falling.

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The DataHaven survey found that of all Connecticut residents surveyed, only 9% trust the federal government “a great deal” to look out for the best interests of them and their family. About 28% trust the federal government “a fair amount.”

Federal government trust among Connecticut residents was at its highest in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the federal stimulus programs and child tax credit were active.

The DataHaven survey also asked about trust in local and state government. Connecticut residents generally trust these institutions more than they trust the federal government, the survey found.

Trust in the local governments was higher than trust in both state and federal, with 67% of residents surveyed trusting their local government “a great deal” or “a fair amount.”

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And when it came to state government, 61% of residents trust the state “a great deal” or “a fair amount.”



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Was Connecticut State Police short 300 troopers in 2025?

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Was Connecticut State Police short 300 troopers in 2025?


Yes.

As of early 2025, the Connecticut State Police was facing a staffing shortage of roughly 300 troopers compared to the more than 1,200 troopers the department had in its ranks over a decade ago. This is due largely to retirements, resignations and a shrinking applicant pool.

Recent academy classes are helping slowly rebuild staffing, but Gov. Ned Lamont and police leadership say Connecticut still needs substantially more troopers to meet public safety demands. More recently, news outlets reported the department had 938 troopers.

This spring, troopers negotiated a 4.5% wage hike with state officials. Troopers’ base pay is on average about $116,000 per year, but that rises to $175,000 per year once overtime is included. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

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CT Mirror partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims.

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Reginald David is the Community Engagement Reporter for CT Mirror. He builds relationships across Connecticut to elevate community voices and deepen public dialogue around local issues. Previously, he was a producer at KCUR 89.3, Kansas City’s NPR station, where he created community-centered programming, led live event coverage for major events like the NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Parade, and Royals Opening Day, and launched KC Soundcheck, a music series spotlighting local and national artists. Reginald has also hosted special segments, including an in-depth interview with civil rights leader Alvin Brooks and live community coverage on issues like racial segregation and neighborhood development. He began his public media career as an ‘Integrity in News’ intern at WNPR in Hartford.

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CT Weather: Initial Snow Accumulation Estimates Released: Here’s When, How Much To Expect

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CT Weather: Initial Snow Accumulation Estimates Released: Here’s When, How Much To Expect


Meteorologists are predicting the next storm system in Connecticut could bring a couple inches of snow this weekend.

WTNH reports snow will start late Saturday night and continue into Sunday morning.

“There is pretty good agreement with light snow amounts statewide with up to around 2″ expected,” WTNH says.

Find out what’s happening in Across Connecticutfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

WFSB reports long-range models have been “all over the place with the development of a coastal storm.”

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According to WFSB, some show the system moving to the south of Connecticut, which would make the impact on weekend plans “minimal.” Another model, however, shows a greater impact on Connecticut, which could mean a “coating to an inch” of snow, WFSB reports.

Find out what’s happening in Across Connecticutfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

WFSB as of Thursday also predicts the timing would be late Saturday night through Sunday morning.

The National Weather Service as of Thursday has increased the odds of snow in this weekend timeframe to 50 percent, up from 30 percent.

In the short term, it is going to be very windy today.

The National Weather Service has advisories for northern and southern parts of Connecticut due to high winds, with possible gusts of up to 50 miles per hour.

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Today, Friday and daytime Saturday will be clear and dry, according to the National Weather Service, with high temperatures starting in the low to mid-30s and gradually warming.

“Saturday is the pick of the weekend, as it will be dry and relatively milder,” WFSB reports. “While we could start bright, cloud cover will be on the increase with temps that peak between 35 and 40. Sunday will be colder as temps only reach the upper 20s and lower 30s.”

The National Weather Service indicates the chance for snow begins around midnight Saturday.

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Here are the forecast details for northern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

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Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 31. Breezy, with a west wind 18 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 20. West wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 32. West wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southwest in the evening.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 8 mph in the morning.

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Saturday Night: A chance of snow, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Sunday: A chance of snow before 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. Northwest wind 5 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Here are the forecast details for southern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 34. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. West wind 16 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 22. Wind chill values between 10 and 15. West wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 41 mph.

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Friday: Sunny, with a high near 34. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. West wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Light west wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night: Snow likely after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 26. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Sunday: A 50 percent chance of snow before 1 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 33.

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